A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

The perception of wizards in society is quite complex.

To the elderly, wizards are viewed as freedom fighters, independent activists, or revolutionaries—people who witnessed the Cult-Magic Tower War in their youth or heard stories from their parents, thus sharing a positive view.

The middle-aged and older generations share a similar sentiment. Over the past century, society has made remarkable strides through science and magic.

Having personally experienced that era, the middle-aged generation enjoyed the benefits of economic advancement, so it was natural for them to have a favorable view of wizards.

Conversely, the youth in their twenties and thirties tend to view wizards or magic more negatively.

Doomers, Tang Pingers, or members of the “N” generation.

They might be likened to illegal South American immigrants crossing borders or Indian engineering professionals settling in Canada on work permits, etc.

Today’s general perception of wizards hovers somewhere between “talented individuals who lounge around, wasting their gifts” and “job thieves secretly immigrating in hopes of exploiting wage gaps between developed and developing countries.”

And no, this is not just talk; it’s seriously true.

Even Francesca, a member of the Ranieri family and a senior official at the Magic Tower, has faced all kinds of slander as a “foreign businessman threatening national defense” during numerous defense and military contracts. (For the record, the company suspects this is all propaganda from defense contractors.)

Above all, wizards have earned a reputation for being “quirky eccentrics” due to their penchant for causing mayhem.

But there was one exception.

An object of overwhelmingly positive appraisal, transcending generations and nationalities: the “Archmage.”

Why is it that, despite the growing negative perception of wizards, Archmages remain an exception? The simple reason is that they are simply too impressive themselves.

You need a rhythm to make a sound; how could you compare legends who have held the throne for a century to mere mortals?

In the first place, they are incomparable and thus immune to slander.

However, people seem to be under a misapprehension:

“Yes. This is the Kien Empire Foreign Ministry. How may I assist you?”

“Change the deputy minister.”

It’s that a 120-year-old coot is actually a sweet old lady who doesn’t throw tantrums!

—

Episode 20 – Who Threatened with a Knife?

Located right in the heart of Shizuya, the capital of Ashtistan, the “Kien Empire Embassy of the Republic of Ashtistan” is renowned for its delicious cuisine.

Compared to Petrogard, the cost of living here is overwhelmingly cheaper, making it much more affordable than fees exceeding 300 million won annually just to maintain embassies in other countries.

Even the costs for hosting receptions or replacing aging facilities reflect this difference.

While other embassies in different countries hire hotels for regular events or employ dozens of chefs, spending over 60 million won, in Ashtistan, even hiring the most expensive five-star hotels and chefs only comes to about 30 million won.

The lease for the embassy building and grounds, which is the cornerstone of its maintenance, is astonishingly cheap as well. With nearly 150 staff commuting from external accommodations and an eight-story new building, the budget hasn’t budged a single penny.

Is it just the budget? The expenses for food, living, and spending are the same.

Even if foreign businessmen, expatriates, and wealthy Ashtistanis enroll all four of their children in private schools and spend intimate family time every Sunday at a high-end restaurant, their bank deposits are still growing—actually increasing compared to when working for the Kingdom of Abas.

Moreover, the Republic of Ashtistan is a blood-ally nation.

Though busy, it is a veritable paradise compared to the subtly hostile countries where one might feel more at ease working.

For Kien Foreign Ministry staff, Shizuya became known as a “great place to relax and enjoy.”

“…uh.”

In that honeyed workplace, where milk and honey flowed, the ambassador, who was running the sweet embassy, could only blink repeatedly.

Just as he was relishing the feeling of deserved reward for his past hard work, something unexpected happened.

With his legs propped up on the desk and the receiver crammed between his neck, he stared blankly at the air.

His behavior might have looked slightly foolish, but there was a reason he was acting this way.

“I’m sorry. I must have misheard—could you repeat that?”

On the other end of the receiver, the first secretary of the Kien Empire Embassy in the Republic of Ashtistan let out a near-scream.

-“Well! They installed a listening device in the hotel!”

By the way, he wasn’t even a Foreign Ministry staff member. He was an information officer disguised as a first secretary from the Imperial Guard HQ.

Of course, this fact was a widely known secret between him, the Foreign Ministry, the Imperial Guard HQ, the ambassador, and the consul. This was because the ambassador was both the head of the embassy and the local head of the Imperial Guard HQ in Shizuya.

The problem arose when a strange utterance came from the Imperial Guard HQ employee’s mouth.

After returning from an event hosted by neighboring diplomats (another embassy) around 1:10 a.m., the ambassador could only leap from his chair in shock.

“Where’s that from?”

-”From those Rabdari guys!”

“…the Security Committee?”

With a dejected expression, the ambassador let out a sigh. Oh, here we go again.

It seems those Ashtistanis set up listening devices to spy on Abas officials and got caught. What should I do about this?

Quickly piecing together the situation, the imperial ambassador prepared for a traffic fine.

“First, I’ll speak to the Duke about this. The Rabdari friends can sort out any misunderstandings on the Abas military side…”

The first secretary cut him off.

With an incredibly annoyed yet watery voice, he said.

-“No, they installed the device in your room, not the military’s guests’ rooms!! That scoundrel…!”

“What? The device was found in His Highness the Duke’s room? The Security Committee was spying on His Highness, and he directly found it!?”

-“Yes!”

“……”

Blink. Blink blink.

The Kien Empire ambassador to the Republic of Ashtistan.

And former ambassador to the Jamria Federation.

A diplomat who had endured endless slanders in Jamria and barely drifted to Ashtistan stared blankly into the void before mumbling.

“…is this real life?”

Denial of reality.

—

*

Turning back time, before the Kien Empire ambassador attempted to yell “This is disgusting!” at the first secretary’s phone call and denied reality.

A small and trivial incident was taking place in a five-star hotel in the capital of Ashtistan, Shizuya.

It all started like this.

“I don’t remember how many years it’s been since I was last here. This place was probably barren before, but the world has certainly changed a lot.”

“Professor, how many years are you talking about? According to the Ashtistan National Development Committee’s press release, these streets were established about 45 years ago.”

“Up until 45 years ago, this place was a slum. During the monarchy, the persecuted shamans of Ashtistan gathered here and built huts. Those gradually grew until, after the Republic came into being, it got developed into a city.”

“Ah-ha!”

Duke Alexandra Petrovna took us on a visit to Shizuya’s ‘Shaman Street.’

The Mauritania Continent, notorious as the heartland of magic and astrology. Among them, Shizuya, situated along the trade routes between East and West, was the emporium of commerce and a mecca for sorcery.

“Shaman Street” was a place that a wizard such as the Duke absolutely had to visit.

Of course, she didn’t come merely to sightsee.

“I’ve bought you wonderful crafts, so as a reward, feel free to buy whatever you like—a carpet, gems, anything!”

“Wow! You’re the best, Professor!”

The Duke generously dished out from her personal assets, treating us to gifts.

Given that carpets and gems from the Mauritania Continent are considered top-notch even at the Ivory Tower and that they are taxed at almost a one-to-one level for the finest magical tools, it was a shimmying luxury.

Naturally, for the Duke, such taxes weren’t a problem at all, allowing Camila and I to freely acquire rare items.

But, upon our return to the hotel, a small problem arose.

“Hmm?”

As usual, after opening the door and magically discarding her coat, the Duke sensed an unusual current flowing in the hallway.

Though it was just another day at the hotel, there was a strange magic emanating from somewhere.

The Duke tossed aside her coat and began to track the faint magic trail. A moment later, as she reached out her hand, a piece of clothing suddenly sprang up with a flap!

“Isn’t this your dress?”

“Ugh?”

Camila, with a mouthful of bread, looked puzzled as she gazed at the dress the Duke presented to her.

The unopened dress had been sent out for cleaning just before she stepped out.

Swallowing a bite of bread, Camila nodded, at which point the Duke, with a suspicious glance, examined the garment. The Archmage’s keen senses pierced through the identity of a small device hidden within.

“Oh ho.”

Alexandra Petrovna began to chuckle as if she had witnessed something quite hilarious.

“Look at these…”

Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked what was happening.

“What’s up?”

“I’ll tell you later. I’ll be right back.”

“…?”

Camila and I exchanged bewildered looks.

Either way, the Duke left us behind and simply vanished somewhere in a flash.

A moment later.

“GRAAAAH!! Masud! Nassem! Team Leader Garji! Malhodaya!”

“???“

Then appeared a civil servant with a dislocated arm.

—

Consequently, the device that came out of Camila’s clothing was a listening device.

It had been installed by the Security Committee of the Republic of Ashtistan. Specifically, it was set up by the employees of the Inspectorate.

Why did they install a listening device in Camila’s clothes? To answer that question, we must rewind the clock further.

“Since they started listening in even inside the hotel, they’ll likely escalate to a full surveillance operation soon.”

On the day the listening device was discovered, I gathered Frederick and Camila to discuss precautions.

”Chances are the phone has been tapped since we entered the country. From now on, they’ll be watching my movements closely, both in and around the hotel. Naturally, the Security Committee will also try to keep an eye on you, Camila.”

“I was expecting that. I’m one of the witnesses involved in this incident.”

“Do not use the landline in the hotel; stay away from the magic modification points. You mustn’t divulge any crucial information during verbal conversations. Always remember that we are under surveillance.”

“And?”

“When physically apart, use secure communication devices to contact me. They utilize AES-256 level encryption technology, frequency jumping, and waterproof wireless communication, so it should not pose significant issues in this area.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll teach you how to use it over time… but when conversing with your party or chatting with me normally, just speak freely. While it’s necessary to be cautious, being overly conscious of being watched may also arouse suspicion.”

The two’s strategy was simple.

Differentiate between the risk zones where taps are actively taking place and safe zones where communication is free. Deliberately leak information in the dangerous zones while analyzing and discussing in locations safe from surveillance.

“We’re also in contact with the company to set a bait. Depending on how the Ashtistani Information Agency bites, we may have many options. We might conceal the fact that I’m a spy. Depending on the situation, we could even deceive them about the initiation date or details of intelligence or military operations. We might even discover pipes hidden in the company.”

“Pipes?”

“A double agent.”

“Oh, like the Cambridge Five? Just the thought sounds so intriguing!”

“It’s all hypothetical, of course. Hypothetical. Doubles aren’t exactly common….”

“Anyway, let’s go fishing soon!”

Frederick and Camila slipped into the predetermined dangerous area to leak information.

The Duke had bought a handcrafted gift, meaning she would take us on a tour of Shaman Street to express her appreciation.

The conversations between the two bled through into listening scenarios equipped in the hotel’s lights, which were harmlessly transmitted to an intercepting van parked nearby.

“…Tomorrow from 10 AM to 2 PM, we plan to stroll through ‘Shaman Street’ on Yerushkom Avenue No. 8.”

“Are all three of them going?”

“Yes, including the Duke, along with the other two targets.”

“Excellent. Very good.”

The team leader of the Security Committee’s Inspectorate, Mustafa Garji, nodded while stroking his goatee. This was a boon.

The reserved room for the Kien Empire Foreign Ministry was in the luxurious Eurodivy Hotel Shizuya. The royal suite, frequented by dignitaries visiting Ashtistan, was originally set up for royal guests.

Once an industry titan, the empire established dedicated rooms for the emperor and plenipotentiaries during overseas trips, a separate suite established over centuries. Now, while executive floors or buildings cater to foreign princes, prime ministers, presidents, and CEOs, the Kien’s “royal” suites still prioritize reservations for royalty.

“……”

As the team leader held up the blueprint, he glared sharply at the venue.

He considered where to install listening devices to hear all sounds within the room, how to best place the camera equipment to maximize the field of view, among other things.

“The installation must go unnoticed by the Duke. We must settle this quietly to avoid causing a stir with the Foreign Ministry.”

“Let’s switch from magical imaging equipment to optical surveillance gear. For now, here, here, and here will be where the listening devices are installed, while the surveillance equipment will go over there…”

They were fully aware of the Archmage’s acute magical senses. Thus, the equipment to be installed in the room had to be high-end devices that used minimal magic.

Taking advantage of the moment when the three stepped outside, they bribed a hotel staff member for the keys and rushed into the room to install the devices before rapidly retreating.

While suspicious individuals passing through the corridor and lobby caught on the hotel’s magical imaging equipment, the security employee conveniently deleted the recording while the other was at the restroom. Evidence of them entering—and exiting—was erased.

“What about the hotel’s internal video?”

“The security team member deleted it.”

At the moment the Security Committee employees were about to pull out after installing their gear, one of the informants planted within the hotel contacted them. A guest had just dropped off laundry right before leaving.

“Was it a man’s clothes?”

“No, it’s women’s clothing. It seems to belong to the hero with the red hair. What shall we do?”

“If there are leftover listening devices, put them in.”

They had prepped dozens of listening devices for the hotel laundry worker. Of course, the employee had no idea they belonged to an intelligence agency; they merely thought of it as a favor from a magazine paparazzi.

Using a pseudonym, the team leader sent a message to the hotel laundry worker, suggesting he insert a device if he had any leftover gear. In return, he promised a third of the agreed payment as a bonus.

“However, Team Leader, this device runs on magic, is that alright?”

“It’s no problem if we send it to the separate quarters where the hero is staying instead of the royal suite. His Highness the Duke wouldn’t have gone to the hero’s quarters anyway.”

Following the team leader’s orders, the subordinate nodded and pressed the “send” button.

At the same time, a hotel laundry worker with a smartphone checked the message from the “magazine paparazzi,” after which he inserted the listening device into the fabric.

Wondering what kind of money was flowing around for such a magazine, he felt pleased to earn two months’ salary hiding the visual device in a guest’s clothing.

“♪~”

With thoughts of easy money bubbling, the hotel laundry worker whistled cheerfully as he headed toward the guest room.

He walked past Camila’s executive room, heading straight for the royal suite.

Upon hanging the clothes in a conspicuous spot and shaking off the dust from the plastic covering with a handkerchief while humming, he left the guest room.

And now, several hours later.

“Ah, there you are hiding.”

“GRAAAAH!! Masud! Nassem! Team Leader Garji! Malhodaya!”

Thus commenced the Duke’s merciless act of Reverse-Public Authority (interference with government work) against the Security Committee employees who were lurking two blocks below!

—

In pursuit of the suspicious magic, employing unauthorized shortcuts (which lawyers call ‘illegal flight through city zones’), the Duke dashed to the van hidden two blocks down and smashed into the arms of a security committee employee while he was checking the sound quality.

“How dare you hide a listening device in a lady’s clothing.”

“Gah….”

“Who sent you?”

The Duke literally shook down the obvious scoundrel with her penetrating gaze.

At that moment, while one of the employees went to check on their colleague who had lost contact, the team leader of the Security Committee, Mustafa Garji, was entirely at a loss to utter a single word in this absurd scenario.

Of course, the diplomat from the Kien Empire who had most recently been posted in the Republic of Ashtistan was even more bewildered by events.

-“Are you out of your mind! How could our host country’s Intelligence Bureau plant a listening device in His Highness’ room without the ambassador knowing about it!?”

“I apologize, Deputy Minister! I have no excuse, even if I had ten mouths!”

The ambassador, just returning from a party (disguised as an after-hours event), was utterly miserable. Not from sleepiness, but from being berated by the Deputy Minister.

At nearly two in the morning, the foreign ministry’s senior official called in with some nasty words. Given the time difference, the atmosphere was particularly lively in the Kien Empire, which was having its evening, which allowed the Deputy Minister to experience the full weight of sheer rebuke.

“I can’t believe the humiliation I suffered on account of you! Huh?!”

“…….”

Indeed, the Kien Empire Foreign Ministry’s deputy minister had just been summoned into the office by the minister himself to be chewed out thoroughly.

Of course, the fact that the minister had also been severely reprimanded by the prime minister about an hour earlier remained a secret.

Why was the foreign ministry minister chewed out by the chancellor? It can well be inferred by taking a look at the diligent log of calls made by Duke Alexandra Petrovna.

“Uh, yes, Your Highness. What brings you to call?”

-‘There’s been a listening device found in my room. It’s the doing of those Rabdari folks.’

“…Are you still in Shizuya?”

-‘Of course not.’

“I’ll call the Minister for clarification and accountability. I’ll report back within thirty minutes.”

-‘Be swift, yet prudent.’

Thus, began the series of blazing reprimands that bounced back through the Kien Empire’s foreign ministry, courtesy of none other than Nikolai VI himself.

With the stream of scorn rolling down from minister to deputy minister to ambassador, the fiery downpour commenced one after another!

Of course, while the foreign line bears the brunt of the storm, the intelligence sector was not about to remain idle either.

-‘Apologies for interrupting your rest, Director. The Chief is looking for you.’

“Right now?”

-‘He has summoned you along with Director 2 and Director 1 back to headquarters. It’s an urgent matter.’

The high-ranking members of the Imperial Guard HQ, who were enjoying an evening meal with family, suddenly found themselves called to action with the Chief’s summons. Sensing the unusual air, the directors quickly converted to secure lines to figure out the situation.

At the same time, one of the chiefs who dashed back to headquarters after receiving word from the director went ahead and banged the conference room’s door shut, discarding his outer clothing.

“Just what have you all been doing for them to raise such a ruckus upstairs?”

“……”

“Bring all information related to the Ashtistani Information Agency. It’s for the Chief, so make sure nothing is missed.”

“…Yes.”

“Where’s the branch manager right now?”

In the swaying vehicle, the protagonist the chief was feverishly searching for was right there.

“Yes, Ambassador! I’m on my way back from vacation right now…!”

The Ashtistani branch manager shouted over the phone from the passenger seat, gripping the steering wheel tightly. He had left his girlfriend behind at the resort.

As the epitome of militaristic, authoritarian, and totalitarian practices, the Kien Empire characterized the swiftness and accuracy of the Imperial Guard HQ’s backlash. The cascade of reprimands flowed from the chief, through the directors, down to the branch manager, quickly ending up back at the office.

Sweeping the foreign ministry and Imperial Guard HQ into a whirl, the Kien Empire did not hesitate to hit the brakes.

The foreign ministry deputy minister swiftly summoned the Ashtistani ambassador and demanded with force, ‘What are you doing, you insane people!?’ while simultaneously, the Imperial Guard HQ lodged its complaints about the Security Committee’s listening activity, stating, ‘What the hell were you thinking?’ through official communications.

Of course, the one who found himself sweat-soaked and bugged the most wasn’t the operative caught during the listening operation, nor was it the branch manager who was being relentlessly scolded for losing his girlfriend abroad—quite the contrary.

“Is this some sort of dream…?”

“Snap out of it, Ambassador! Come on!”

For the ambassador to the Republic of Ashtistan, who had previous misfortunes involving a royal hostage, it was indeed the pinnacle of his crisis.

Last time, the Duke stormed the Embassy of the Kingdom of Abas, and now the host country’s intelligence agency has set a listening device in the Duke’s hotel room, leading to reprimands from the Deputy Minister.

Though he’s not at fault, having recently suffered once due to royal affairs last time, another significant issue had now emerged right bang in his office.

“сука блять-!”

Attempting to escape reality, the Kien Empire ambassador sped toward the Ashtistani government. While it was past three in the morning already, it was not the moment to dwell on anything else.

He had to ensure to stop the irate Archmage from ‘storming’ yet another public office.

This is the reason he crashed into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ashtistan, prepared to break down the doors.

“This is an utterly intolerable matter! How can you eavesdrop on your blood allies like this!?”

“Ambassador. I swear on our Ashtistani government that we were unaware of this… please believe me.”

“The Security Committee isn’t some third-rate detective agency! You mean to tell me that in this country’s intelligence apparatus, they planted listening devices for an illicit snooping operation, and you expect me to think it was unintentional? Are you taking me for a fool?!”

Likewise, the branch manager of the Imperial Guard HQ was furiously dialing the Security Committee to vent his frustration.

“Immediate removal and public apology from the person responsible! What? Investigation? What investigation? Your snooping agents have already been caught! How dare you lot play games when we can pull the plug on magic stones, and you’ll be left without a fire to light?!”

The fury of those nearly losing their heads was indeed a fearsome thing.

Regardless of the relationship between the Kien Empire and the Republic of Ashtistan, frankly, Frederick didn’t care much.

“…Huh? Where’d the listening device go?”

A curious scion aspiring to be the Santiago who would outsmart the enemy intelligence, he could hardly contain his confusion. Having spent nearly four hours away, he expected to find a full setup waiting for him. Like a child checking Christmas gifts, he was eagerly anticipating the sight.

Yet, upon returning, he found no trace of any listening devices whatsoever!

Searching throughout the room for the device, Frederick couldn’t help but find himself baffled.

“Camila. There’s no listening device.”

“What? How is that even possible?”

“I don’t know either. Did you eat it or something?”

“……”

“Just teasing, so please don’t look at me like that.”

The burning inquiries exchanged between the two in the secure zone were soon resolved.

Employees dispatched from the Kien Empire Embassy’s Imperial Guard HQ started dragging bundles of listening devices and cameras out from the depths.

“So, let me get this straight: The Ashtistani Intelligence Agency planted your listening device in Camila’s clothing, and the Duke detected it and took action, correct, Ambassador?”

“Yes. That’s precisely right. You understood perfectly, Colonel….”

Frederick regarded the Kien Empire ambassador’s appearance, which seemed to age him by about twenty years. He looked as if he had just chewed on something particularly vile.

I’m sure I recognize this person from somewhere—reviewing his memories, he suddenly recalled the impression of the Kien Empire ambassador from the Jamria Federation. Noting the once-bright visage now dulled with the marks of weariness made his recognition simple.

“Um, did you serve in the Jamria Federation before?”

“…I was posted there until recently. Finished my term and came straight to Shizuya.”

“Ah, I see.”

With a dawning realization, Frederick let out a sigh as if he finally understood.

The two diplomats, having unexpectedly lost their positions due to unfortunate circumstances, shared a rueful chuckle while wiping their misty eyes. Perhaps one had not much reason to feel wronged, given the circumstances.

After all, humans are creatures that first find commonalities before spotting differences.

“Excuse me. Just need to make a quick call….”

“Yes, of course….”

Frederick dialed an old acquaintance from the Kien Empire’s defense ministry, who had contacts that date back to their time in the northern territories.

“Hello? Oh, General Mikhail? It’s Frederick Nostrim. Pardon my intrusion, but I want to see if you have connections in the foreign ministry….”

One of the few generals in the Kien Defense Ministry and a renowned war hero, Mikhail quickly mobilized his connections to reach out to the Foreign Ministry on behalf of Frederick. A well-recognized ambassador, still new to this position, required some patience.

Of course, it was only possible due to the connections between the ambassador and General Mikhail, who had been classmates from the academy and were also neighbors in their home towns.

Frederick’s resolve to help the ambassador had raised Camila’s eyebrows in curiosity, but he replied with a calm expression.

“Something about me feels a little guilty if I just ignore this. It’s not like I did anything wrong, but….”

“That’s a switch. It’s turned from ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ into ‘Saving Private Ryan’.”

As Camila grinned, the employees inspecting the room began emerging with listening devices and cameras in bunches.

“Did you check everything?”

“Everything is inspected, but aside from the common areas and the hero’s room, there were no discoveries.”

“Are you sure?”

“I can confidently say the Duke’s quarters are clear. We examined them all.”

“Good. Other teams are querying the security footage and staff, so let’s retreat as soon as we get results. Thanks for your hard work.”

The senior officer from the Imperial Guard HQ wiped his eyes sleepily as part of the order.

“Hmm….”

While observing this, an excellent idea suddenly flitted through Camila’s mind.

“Just a moment. Frederick, do you happen to still have the previously discovered listening devices?”

“Yes, I still have them. Why?”

“Hand them over here.”

Camila took the listening devices and hurried off into the room.

A short while later.

“Here, I found another one!”

The Imperial Guard employees, the Kien diplomats, and the hotel staff all turned their heads in unison. Meanwhile, Camila peeked her head out from the royal suite while waving, holding the listening device triumphantly.

“Look what I found! It was in the professor’s room!”

“……”

“How many more were hiding in there?”

Frederick facepalmed at the sight of the gathered officials and guests, having witnessed the odd anomaly directly.

“We just conducted a thorough search.”

“……”

“You should go and check it out.”

Caught off guard, the gathering of Imperial Guard personnel, diplomats, and hotel employees stared aghast at the amusing situation laid out before them, culminating in a flurry of punishment.

But really, what of it?

Though the plans went awry, it was a mutual win for both Camila and Frederick by outsmarting the Security Committee.

“…Yes, Communications Security. Frederick Nostrim speaking. I just wanted to share that, well… we seem to have already set the bait for the operation… in case you hear it’s no longer usable, will you be directing your anger toward me? Oh… you’re saying how isn’t this some nonsense? How could this have happened? Well, allow me to explain…”

Or something like that.